Cover plate for vehicle wheels



Nov. 18, 1952 Filed Nov. 25. 1947 H. J. HORN 2,618,513

COVER PLATE FOR VEHICLE WHEELS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 311mm tor HARRY J. HORN (lttomegs.

Nov. 18, 1952 H. J. HORN 2,613,513

COVER PLATE FOR VEHICLE WHEELS Filed No 25, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Bnnentor HARRY J. HORN Patented Nov. 18, 1952 COVER PLATE FOR VEHICLE WHEELS Harry J. Horn, Lansing, Mich., assignor to Motor Wheel Corporation, Lansing, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application November 25, 1947, Serial No. 787,910

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a cover plate for a vehicle wheel.

It is old to provide a vehicle wheel with a cover plate to dress up the wheel and cover the means which secures the wheel to the hub. In the prior art it has been common to attach the cover to the wheel by spring clips so that the cover has a metal to metal contact with the clips and also with the wheel. Such metal to metal contact is particularly undesirable when the vehicle is traveling along rough road in that it is a frequent source of undesirable noise.

It is an object of this invention to produce a wheel cover which is secured to the wheel so that the cover will not create any noise regardless of the roughness of the road over which the vehicle is traveling.

The invention also contemplates a wheel cover which can be easily assembled to, and disassembled from, the wheel.

These objects are accomplished by providing the wheel cover with distortable or elastic rubber connections which actually float the wheel cover on the wheel and thus avoid any metallic contactv between the metal wheel cover and the metal wheel.

Fig. 1 is an elevation of my wheel cover with the rubber units in place.

i as at IT to provide a plurality of spaced fingers Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through a wheel upon which the cover of Fig. 1 is mounted.

Fig. 3 is a section along the line 33 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation taken along the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an elevation showing a slightly modified form of my wheel cover.

Fig 6 is a vertical sectional View through a wheel with the cover of Fig. 5 mounted thereon. Fig. '7 is a fragmentary section of a wheel cover showing a modified mounting of the rubber units on the cover.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section showing a further modified mounting of the rubber units on the wheel cover.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary elevation of the wheel edge of each flange I5 takes the form of a channel section IS, the outer wall of which is slotted I8. Channel I6 serves as a pocket for a plurality of elastic blocks I9 which are preferably made of rubber, either synthetic or natural. Blocks I9 are retained in channel It by bending fingers I8 inwardly to clinch the block in channel I6.

For purposes of description, I have shown four rubber blocks I9 on the wheel cover but the cover can be retained upon the wheel by using three or more rubber blocks I9.

Cover I9 i provided with an opening 29 for the valve stem 2| which is secured on the inner tube 22. Cover I0 is mounted upon the vehicle wheel by placing one or two of the rubber blocks I9 in groove I3 and then by inserting a screwdriver or similar tool in the slot between rim I2 and flange I5 and opposite the said blocks, then the screw-driver can be used as a lever to compress the one or two rubber blocks first placed in the groove and then the rubber blocks nearest the screw-driver can be easily pushed or forced into place in groove I3. The rubber blocks I9 will be distorted and under compression but it should be noted that the blocks I9 project beyond the circumference of cover II] and thus provide a clearance 23 between the circumferential edge of cover I0 and rim I2 so that there is no metal to metal contact between the vehicle wheel and cover I9. Rubber blocks I9 actually float cover I!) upon the vehicle wheel. It is obvious that the installation or removal of the cover is a simple operation requiring no skill.

In the form of invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the rubber blocks I9 are retained in channels 24 similar to channels I6 but each channel 24 is formed contiguous to the peripheral edge 25 of cover I i] by return bending a portion of the peripheral edge of cover I0. Further, rubber blocks I9 yieldably interengage the circumferential groove 26 formed in the tire retaining flange I4. Installation and removal of this form of cover In is the same as described above. Here again it should be noted that rubber blocks I9 float the cover I9 on the wheel and there is no metal to metal contact between cover I0 and the wheel.

The modification shown in Fig. 7 differs from the cover shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in that the cover 21 is provided with circumferentially spaced flange portions 28 of L section. The rubber blocks 29 are vulcanized permanently to these flange portions 28. Rubber blocks 29 retain the cover on the wheel in the same manner as blocks I9.

In the form shown in Figs. 8 and 9 the cover 30 is provided with a peripheral bead 3|. Each rubber block 32 is carried in a metal retainer 33. Retainer 33 is preferably a metal stamping having a channel portion 34 which receives rubber block 32 and the outer wall 35 of the channel is bent slightly inwardly to clinch the rubber block 32 in position. The stamping is provided with a pair of legs 38 which are shaped to conform to the contour of cover 39 and are welded thereto. 33 is of arcuate cross section and overlies bead 3|. Retainer 33 is either welded, riveted or otherwise secured to cover 30.

Since the blocks (I9, 29, 32) are made from any elastic distortable material such as rubber, the cover is floated on the vehicle wheel "thus avoiding all metal to metal contact and preventing any rattling or any squeaking which would result from the cover rubbing against the wheel. Since the cover is floated upon the wheel, th cover isnot distorted by any normaldeflection of -thegwheel as the-car travels over the road because normal wheel deflection is permitted by distortion or deflection of the rubber blocks without transmitting the deflecting forces tothe cover. The use of rubber blocks for mounting th cover on the wheel also permits the cover to be made of, any material desired, either metal or nonmetal, andthe cover can be made of any design desired because the rubber blocks do not interfere-with the styling of the cover.

Although the rubber blocks is, for illustrative purposes, are shown extended beyond the circumference of, the cover it is, of course, appreciated that this is a preferred but not a necessary arrangement because the important point is that the rubber blocks must hold the cover out of any metallic contact with the rim. If desired, itis obvious that the circumferential edge of the cover canextend diametrically beyond the rubber blQGks just as long as the blocks hold the cover out. ofmetallic' contact with the rim.

It is also appreciated that the position of the rubber; blocks 19 can be reversed, that is, the rubber blocks. can be vulcanized or otherwise affixed to the inner face of the rim I2 and the blocks will interengage in a groove provided in flange. I ofth cover for releasably fastening t e. cover-to. the wheel rim without any metallic contact therebetween. It, should also be noted that the rubber blocks are the sole means for fastening the cover to'the wheel.

cl im:

. l. In combination with a vehicl wheelhaving a rim: with a. circumferential groove on its inside face, a cover having its circumferential edge spaced from the rim, at least three rubber blocks The upper edge 3'! of retainer mounted on said cover plate and projecting beyond the periphery of the cover plate, said rubber blocks interengaging said groove on th rim and held under compression thereby the cover plate is floated upon said rim, said rubber blocks being equally spaced about the circumference of said cover and the sole meansv for holding the-cover on the rim.

2. In combination with a vehicle wheel having a rim with at least three socket portions formed on the inner face of the rim, 2. cover for mounting on the rim and having a smaller circumference than the circumference of th adjacent portion of the rim, at least three circumferentially spaced-rubber blocks mounted on said cover and projecting beyond the circumference thereof, the said blocks interengaging the socket portions in said rim so that they are held in compression and thereby float the wheel cover on the rim, said rubber blocks being the sole. means for holding the cover on the rim.

3. A, cover for a vehicle wheel having at least three axially extending spring fingers, positioned adjacent the periphery of the cover and a rubber block mounted on each of said fingers, said blocks being equally spaced aroundthe circumference of said cover and being adapted for, removably fastening they cover on a vehicle wheel and cooperating with said, spring finge s, as the sole means for retainingthe cover on the wheel.

4. In combination with a vehiclewheelhaving a rim with three socket portions formed onthe inner face of the rim, a, cover for mounting on the rim, said cover having at least. three axially extending resilient fingers positioned adjacent the periphery of the cover, a rubber block supported on each of said resilient fingers, the said blocks being qually spaced around, the circumference of said cover and interengaging the socket portions in said rim so that, the rubber blocks are held in compression and the spring,

fingers in tension to thereby float the Wheel cover on the rim with the cover spaced from, the rim,

said rubber blocks and spring fingers being the sole means for holding the cover on the rim,

HARRY J. HORN.

EFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name: Date 2,005,626 Maranville JunelB, 1935 2,016,395 Sinclair Oct. 8, 1935 2,076,789 LeJeune Apr. 13, 1,937

2,404,389 Lyon July 23, 1946 

